Choosing for LCAs
Choosing for LCAs I'm going to get some adjustable LCAs and want to know if its worth an extra $30 to have spherical rods on one end or just go with poly poly, the car is mostly DD but occasionally goes to the track
Thoughts?
Thoughts?
if by "track" you mean auto-x and not the drag strip, then i would definitely recommend at least single adjustable LCA's that have a poly bushing on one end and a rod end on the other. if you go poly/poly (which is preferred for the drag strip), the LCA's will bind on the bushings, which causes loss of control on the rear, i.e., the rear will "bounce" over bumps when turning instead of staying planted to the ground.
the main downside to rod ends is that you will need to keep them lubed (or better yet, enclosed from the weather) to keep them from rusting, and they will naturally transmit a bit more noise than a bushing will. and by more noise, i'm not talking about a "clunking" noise, that's something else entirely...i just mean a bit more road noise will be transmitted since it is a stiffer piece (metal instead of rubber or poly). if you have "clunking" with rod-ends, either the rod ends are worn out, or you re-used the stock mounting hardware, which is slightly smaller diameter than the sleeve on the rod end, causing some play and making the noise.
just be sure to get new mounting hardware along with the LCA's (preferably from the manufacturer of the LCA's) so you know you have the correct diameter hardware, and keep them lubed to prevent rust. also, make sure they have good quality rod ends, like QA1 ends.
the main downside to rod ends is that you will need to keep them lubed (or better yet, enclosed from the weather) to keep them from rusting, and they will naturally transmit a bit more noise than a bushing will. and by more noise, i'm not talking about a "clunking" noise, that's something else entirely...i just mean a bit more road noise will be transmitted since it is a stiffer piece (metal instead of rubber or poly). if you have "clunking" with rod-ends, either the rod ends are worn out, or you re-used the stock mounting hardware, which is slightly smaller diameter than the sleeve on the rod end, causing some play and making the noise.
just be sure to get new mounting hardware along with the LCA's (preferably from the manufacturer of the LCA's) so you know you have the correct diameter hardware, and keep them lubed to prevent rust. also, make sure they have good quality rod ends, like QA1 ends.
